The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-08-11
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
HARRY HOWARD.

"Good-by! Do your duty! Don't be
shot in the back |"
Such were the words with which Ade-
laide Williams took leave of her be-
trothed Jonathan Wooster, and sent him
forth to the defence of his country.
The little railroad station of Belfeyille.
Pennsylvania, was that day crowded with
the parents and friends of the departing
volunteers, for nearly a hundred young
men, the pride OF the little country town
were to leave for the front ere the setting
sun, some to glory, some to promotion,
but the greater number to little else than
wounds, disease and death, and the con-
sclousness of having served their country
well.
jonathan Wooster shouldered his mus
ket and with moistened eyes and heart
wrung by conflicting emotions, entered
the cars with the rest, and the train
started.
Weeks passed. The raw rustics. fresh
from the plough, began to acquire the
discipline Of the camp, and gradually
came to comprehend the idea, so sedu-
lously insisted on by the drilmasters, that
they were, while in the service, not free,
Independent American citizens, on per.
feet equality with their officers, and enti-
tied to furloughs and other privileges
whenever they chose to ask for them,
but mere members of a mighty body,
mere wheels in that great machine, the
army, which was to be an unreasoniny
instrument in the hands of the comman-
der
The general Of the division at last paid
visit to the camp of instruction. His
experienced eye glanced with approval
along the lines Of neatly uniformed sol
diers, standing SO still that they seemed
rooted to the ground; quite a contrast to
the scene of disorder and chaos the camp
presented at his former visit, some two
months before
I" "Very WELL" said he; "xll they want
now is a campaign or two of actual
fighting to make them good soldiers"
And the troops were moved to the
front, leaving the vacant camp of in
struction to be filed by fresh thousands
from the loyal North. t;
During the three weeks of hard fight
ing and dearly bought victories that fol-
lowed, Adelaide Williams received fire.
quent messages from her lover. Although
he was too modest to blow his own truln-
pet, he could not avoid informing her of
the promotions that he won with almost
startling rapidity. In a week he was
corporal, and in two days more he sported
the stripes of sergeant each additional
grade was the reward Of gallantry on the
field of battle. From other sources. too,
Adelaide was fully assured that Jonathan
was nobly acquittlng himself in the arena
of strife.
She was elated with pride and joy !;
81 knew that Jonathan would fight
bravely," she said "and if he didn't l
wouldn't never speak to him again, for
above all things | despise a coward"
This continued for some time, but a
serpent was destined to enter the little
country paradise. r
A villain came from Philadelphia, by
name David Shelton, smooth-spoken, well
dressed, with the outward appearance of
a gentleman, but within a profoundly sell
fish, unprincipled man, whose sole aim in
life was to amass wealth by whatever
means.
in a carriage with an acquaintance from
a neighboring locality he could not help
noticing the. broad fertile farm of Mr..
Williams his friend informed him that
the owner had also large sum of money
in the bank and Shelton was further re-
joiced to hear that the sole beiress to this
property was Miss Adelaide. Skeletons
heart was profoundly smitten by The
charms Of the paternal acres and bank &C.
count; and he at once formed his plans.
To be sure he heard Miss Williams was
engaged to a young soldier then at the
front, but David Shelton was not the man
to be turned aside by little obstacle of
that sort like Fauloombridge in King
John," be might have exclaimed: ..
" Bell, book and candles shall not drive me back,
When gold and silver beckon to come on"
He settled in Beiieville and became
domiciled in tho Williams family, alleg-
ing that the tonic air of the hills in that
part OF the State was necessary for his
health. He took especial care to make
himself agreeable to Miss Adelaide, but
somehow didn't seem to make much of an
impression.
"Confound it," he muttered through
his teeth, that fellow in the army stands
in the way; never saw girl yet that
wasn't crazy after a uniform but I'll fix
him." Mr. Skslton noticed that nearly
every day letter arrived from Jonathan
for Adelaide; being of a very obligipg
disposition, by policy rather than nature,
he offered to 60 in person to the e.post
Office which was quite distant. 81 $3.50
1t was noticed that after that the let.
ters from Jonathan came less frequently,
and finally ceased altogether. The post !
master was merceuary political lheeler,'
and perhaps few $40 bills judiciously
bestowed BY Shelton had something.to do
with the cessation Of correspondence.
Adelaide wrote again, hut received no an
swer. She was in despair, ead mnrmured
continually" Jonathan must DO killed.
On, what shall / do pr =, - t.,1, - 80
.. Asl last, one day, arrived bulky, eff
cial, envelope addressed to sMr. Skslton.i
He took it unopened TO Adelaide, and :
handed it to her with the remark ;'t.o ,7o
.''"I have written to the Colonel, of IT, jon
sthan'a, regiment TO find ont what has Der
come Of him, and i I.supposs thisiA the an
swer. Will you please, read q, arst' a.
ssssi; sss iIsssssssa ssssss sas ps1ssa n''f !